UK Car Registrations
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'Suffix' issue dates:
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'Prefix' issue dates:
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FROM: |
TO: |
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FROM: |
TO: |
A |
01/02/63 |
31/12/63 |
A |
01/08/83 |
31/07/84 |
B |
01/01/64 |
31/12/64 |
B |
01/08/84 |
31/07/85 |
C |
01/01/65 |
31/12/65 |
C |
01/08/85 |
31/07/86 |
D |
01/01/66 |
31/12/66 |
D |
01/08/86 |
31/07/87 |
E |
01/01/67 |
31/07/67 |
E |
01/08/87 |
31/07/88 |
F |
01/08/67 |
31/07/68 |
F |
01/08/88 |
31/07/89 |
G |
01/08/68 |
31/07/69 |
G |
01/08/89 |
31/07/90 |
H |
01/08/69 |
31/07/70 |
H |
01/08/90 |
31/07/91 |
J |
01/08/70 |
31/07/71 |
J |
01/08/91 |
31/07/92 |
K |
01/08/71 |
31/07/72 |
K |
01/08/92 |
31/07/93 |
L |
01/08/72 |
31/07/73 |
L |
01/08/93 |
31/07/94 |
M |
01/08/73 |
31/07/74 |
M |
01/08/94 |
31/07/95 |
N |
01/08/74 |
31/07/75 |
N |
01/08/95 |
31/07/96 |
P |
01/08/75 |
31/07/76 |
P |
01/08/96 |
31/07/97 |
R |
01/08/76 |
31/07/77 |
R |
01/08/97 |
31/07/98 |
S |
01/08/77 |
31/07/78 |
S |
01/08/98 |
28/02/99 |
T |
01/08/78 |
31/07/79 |
T |
01/03/99 |
31/07/99 |
V |
01/08/79 |
31/07/80 |
V |
01/08/99 |
28/02/00 |
W |
01/08/80 |
31/07/81 |
W |
01/03/00 |
31/07/00 |
X |
01/08/81 |
31/07/82 |
X |
01/08/00 |
28/02/01 |
Y |
01/08/82 |
31/07/83 |
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- |
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What are 'Suffix' & 'Prefix'
Registration Marks?
Suffix registrations were introduced in 1963 when number plates were made up of three letters, three numbers and a letter at the end to represent the year of issue. The registration year originally ran from January 1st (to December 31st) until it was moved to the 1st of August in 1967.
In 1983 the suffix format of registration marks ended and the UK changed over to the prefix series, which meant the letter representing the year of issue appeared at the beginning of the registration number. The suffix and prefix series meant that when displayed on a vehicle, the age of that vehicle could easily be established.
The letters I, O and Z were not used as a suffix or prefix as they closely resembled the numbers one, zero and two. The letter Q was introduced as a prefix in 1983 and issued to vehicles of indeterminable age.
In 1999 prefix letters changed to twice a year in March and September (rather than on August 1st) in anticipation of the new series of 'seven-character' registration marks that began in September 2001. See our at-a-glance table opposite which is a handy guide to find the year each letter represents.
How are current 7-character
number plate registrations made up?
& what do the registration
numbers and letters mean?
The current registration series displays seven characters in 3 parts, each with a separate meaning, namely: The local memory tag, the age identifier and finally the unique identity.
- The first two characters indicate where the vehicle was registered - this is called 'the local memory tag'. The first letter refers to a region of the UK, the second letter represents the local DVLA office.
- The two numbers show the age of the vehicle - this is called 'the age identifier'. Age identifiers will continue to change twice yearly in March and September until September 2049. See the table below for further details.
- The last three letters are 'random letters' and give a vehicle its unique identity.
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